A Christmas present turns into a successful winery

In 1995, Brian Neighbors bought his father, Ken, a winemaking kit for a Christmas present. Father and son bonded as their interest in winemaking fermented. The first bottle of wine the duo made that holiday weekend was a blueberry wine. Over the next year, they experimented making other fruit wines.

The father-son team attended seminars, read books and joined associations to further their knowledge and interest in the subject. They entered the wines into competitions in order to gain the judge’s opinion on how to improve their wine. Much to their surprise, they began winning awards. Joy Neighbors, Brian’s wife said, “Wine-making is more expensive than a golf hobby. Brian and Ken decided they either needed to start taking their hobby seriously or give it up.” In November 2000, White Owl Winery opened.

Today, they have four full-time winemakers dedicated to the creation and production process: Ken Neighbors, Brian Neighbors, David Freeland and Randy Parker. Joy Neighbors, marketing director and merchandising buyer said, “Each of these men bring something different to the process. All four men are very talented wine-makers and it shows!”

After much dedication, the team has perfected their wine-making process. Grapes and other fruits used to make their wines are acquired locally. When possible, the grapes are put through a press to separate the liquid from the solids. The mixture is then filtered to remove lees and other material. The remaining liquid is put into a chilled vat where it ferments. They currently have 30 stainless steel wine tanks with capacities ranging from 100 gallons to 1,000 gallons. Most of the fruit wines will remain in the stainless steel tanks since the steel does not give any additional flavor to the wines. Some grape wines will go into oak barrels for that traditional oak flavor.

An Italian bottling line is used in a completely automated process to fill the bottles. After the bottles are washed and rinsed, they are filled, corked and capped. The bottling line is able to process 42 bottles a minute or 2,500 bottles per hour. The wine is able to go through the entire process without ever being touched by human hands.

An in-house laboratory ensures the quality of the wines. The alcohol content, pH levels, sulfites and various acidic types and levels are measured. The lab is then able to ensure the wines will have the same taste, time after time.

White Owl Winery specializes in fruit wines: cherry, blackberry, strawberry, plum, rhubarb, pear, blueberry and persimmon. They also make the more traditional grape wines, including Merlot, Chardonnay, Seyval, Chamborcin, Vidal and a sparkling wine (Champagne). White Owl Winery has won over 30 international awards since May 2001. Blackberry Social and Rhubarb have won double gold awards, with Vidal Blanc capturing gold medals at various competitions since May.

Complimentary wine tasting and tours of the winery are available. The winery also has a gourmet gift shop selling specialty gift items such as pâtés, cheese, sausage, jam, pasta and wine accessories. Many of the items come from Illinois and Indiana. A competent staff is available to assist customers in planning events or advising which wine should accompany a special dinner. During warmer weather, customers are able to sit in the wine garden and enjoy their wine, cheese and snacks. The winery will be serving special dinners on Saturday nights.

Great plans are in the works for the winery’s future. This fall they will host murder mystery dinners. Once a month from October through April, they will also have a wine club where members can try out experimental wines. Within the next two years, they hope to include a grill-your-own steak house restaurant, with meeting and banquet facilities.

Joy Neighbors said, “One of our goals at the winery is to create a pleasant, enjoyable experience for our customers. We offer a friendly atmosphere where you can come with friends or bring out-of-town guests, sit, relax and enjoy a glass of wine and some pleasant conversation. One thing we never forget is that we are here to create a happy memory for our customers!”

Illinois currently has 23 wineries and White Owl Winery is the 4th largest. It is the first licensed and bonded winery on the eastern side of Illinois.

White Owl Winery is located north of Westport off Route 33 on Birds Road. From Route One, take Birds Road and travel 7 miles east. They are open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. The winery is interested in accommodating bus tours and groups with special tour needs. For arrangements or more information, call (618) 928-2898. Visit them on the Internet at www.whiteowlwinery.com.